F1 25 review: One more time behind the wheel

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Summertime is nearly upon us, marking the arrival of yet another edition in the long-running F1 series from Codemasters and EA Sports. This year’s offering is called F1 25, boasting a new chapter in the Braking Point story mode, an enhanced My Team career option, exciting collaborations with the upcoming F1 movie, and many familiar features carried over from its predecessors. Whether you find F1 25 worthy of your attention largely hinges on which aspects of this annual release catch your eye. Let’s delve deeper into it.

More off-track activities

Starting from this year, F1 25 symbolizes the final season under the existing Formula 1 technical rules. Since significant car overhauls took place in 2022, there haven’t been many alterations that affect drivers, whether they are sitting in actual race cars or simulating driving with virtual steering wheels. Consequently, developers at Codemasters and EA Sports have shifted their attention away from drastically changing the game’s physics or handling, and instead have emphasized on enhancing its core features.

This year’s features spotlight an exciting new installment in the Braking Point saga and a substantially updated version of the My Team career experience.

In the game “Braking Point,” you carry forward the tale of the two Konnersport racers as they strive for dominance in the 2024 Formula 1 season. The narrative mirrors common patterns – you switch between drivers and team principal roles, make strategic choices, and accomplish mid-race tasks. Not a lot is new here compared to previous versions of the game. The decisions you make often seem shallow and have minimal effect on the plot. You’ll need to replay failed objectives until you succeed, resulting in a storyline that stays firmly on track. However, even at an easier difficulty, “Braking Point” remains enjoyable, and while the story isn’t groundbreaking, it’s passable – just don’t anticipate any major surprises or deeply engaging drama.

This year brings an exciting new feature: a link to the upcoming F1 movie set for release in June 2025. Gamers can relive scenes from the film by taking on the role of Brad Pitt’s character and re-enacting crucial moments. While this mode may not offer long-term play value, it’s a fun way to experience some dramatic sequences based on the movie. It’s obvious that this feature is a marketing strategy, but it’s still enjoyable to participate in.

A big leap for My Team

In F1 25, a significant improvement is the revamp of the career mode known as My Team 2.0. Instead of playing both driver and team owner like in previous versions, this time you assume the role of the team owner exclusively. This shift adds more realistic responsibilities to your duties, such as managing driver contracts, hiring staff, and upgrading facilities.

If you find this reminiscent of something, that’s likely due to the new game taking clear cues from F1 Manager. The challenge lies in balancing finances, nurturing current players, discovering potential new drivers, and, of course, competing on race days with two drivers representing your team.

This game combines the fun of a two-player cooperative career with a simplified management simulation. It promises to hold players’ attention for some time, though history suggests that the co-op mode might not have lasting appeal. However, this version offers more story longevity – you won’t find yourself propelling a backmarker into a frontrunner only to abruptly switch teams. The management aspects, such as handling driver relationships, scouting talent, and planning for the future, add an intriguing strategic depth.

Shine in My Team 2.0 and you’ll receive praise and acknowledgement. Coupled with improved amenities and high team spirit, these factors will draw in renowned racers. The pool of potential recruits consists of current Formula One and Formula Two drivers, as well as legendary figures such as Sebastian Vettel, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to bring on board drivers from the APXGP series featured in the F1 film.

Evolution, not revolution

F1 25 remains visually and audibly stunning, delivering a convincing sense of speed whether you’re playing on a standard screen or immersing yourself in virtual reality. I can’t help but praise EA Sports and Codemasters for their inclusion of VR support as a standard feature – an aspect more developers should consider adopting.

This year, multiple tracks have undergone LIDAR scanning, enhancing precision and immersion while driving. Furthermore, some racetracks are now offered in reverse layouts, adding a slight but enjoyable twist. However, these incremental enhancements follow the pattern of continuous minor updates throughout the years.

During actual racing, adjustments to visuals and sounds are noticeable but subtle. One significant alteration is the effect of off-track excursions on your vehicle. Brushing against grass or driving into gravel leaves distinct marks – a nice touch – and also affects handling more significantly. Other than that, the game appears and sounds much like its predecessor. Commentary, podium celebrations, and race engineer discussions remain unaltered, and just as frustratingly ineffective as before. However, if you’re familiar with real-life F1 interactions between drivers and engineers, this part might accurately reflect reality.

This year, the F1 World has introduced some new features such as team events and ‘Driver of the Day’ awards. However, I find myself disengaged from the online mode of the series. Unfortunately, there aren’t many useful tools for racing with a reliable group of friends, and public lobbies remain as unpredictable as always – more like an assortment of chocolates where every piece is the same flavor, which is not appealing at all.

It’s quite striking how lifelike the real-life F1 drivers appear in the game these days, surpassing the characters from Braking Point in terms of realism. The difference in quality is quite stark. EA has mentioned that they’ve enhanced facial animations, but the gap between the realistic drivers and the story characters seems wider than ever. For instance, the drivers from Konnersport never take off their hats during the grid reveal, a detail that becomes more noticeable – and more annoying – as this generation of games progresses.

So much left on the table

Since we’re nearing the end of the current technical regulation period in Formula 1 (F1), it was expected that F1 25 wouldn’t introduce significant innovations. However, this transition could have been a chance to refine and polish every aspect. This would have been the ideal moment for all the outstanding quality-of-life enhancements from the past three years to be incorporated – features like comprehensive simulation options in career mode or expansive support in menus and cutscenes. Regrettably, these improvements are still missing.

This year’s Formula 1 (F1) edition, F1 25, seems very similar to last year’s version, F1 24, with fresh Braking Point content and an enlarged My Team mode. On the racetrack, adjustments in handling are relatively minor. However, persistent problems like the malfunctioning safety car system persist, which undermines the overall experience. Additionally, there’s no deep race strategy to speak of. Regardless of the team or track you choose, the strategic aspect remains underdeveloped. If your vehicle isn’t finely tuned, racing from behind can feel harsh and unmotivating.

It’s particularly disheartening that this year’s game doesn’t fully capture the strategic complexity of modern Formula One racing, where pit stops and tire decisions significantly impact race outcomes. With significant rule changes on the horizon and a new team joining in 2026, it seems unlikely that next year’s game will address these challenges effectively. This means that F1 25 has missed a valuable opportunity to establish a stronger foundation for future games.

A great entry point, but not much of an upgrade

As a gamer diving into the world of Formula 1, I’d say that F1 25 is a robust addition to this era of racing games. Compared to its predecessor F1 24, it seems to have made minor yet noticeable improvements. It’s an excellent choice for newcomers seeking a polished and dependable gaming experience. However, I can’t help but feel that it missed a chance to truly shine by refining all aspects and delivering long-awaited features.

For those who have been following the series, it might be worth considering F1 25 only if you’re keen on the extended My Team feature or eagerly anticipate the next instalment of Braking Point. However, if you’re content with F1 24, there’s no immediate need for an upgrade this year.

This assessment is based on the Steam PC version of the game, which was given to us by the publisher for the purpose of review. F1 2022 will be available starting May 27th on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and PC platforms.

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2025-05-27 18:28